Improvement in indoor gymnastic instruments



C. KLEMM.

IN-DOOR GYMNASTIC INSTRUMENTS No. 193,449. .Patented July 251, 1877;

N.FETERS. PHDTU-LYMOGRAFKER. WASHING'ION. D4 C.'

` 4UNITI?. nro

CHARLES KLEMM, OF RIGA, RUSSIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN INDOOR GVNINASTIC INSTRUMENTS.

Speoication forming part of Letters Patent No. l93,449, dated July 24, 1877 application filed June 28, 1877'.

To `all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES KLEMM, of Riga, in the Empire of Russia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Instruments for Indoor Gymnastics, of which the following is a specication:

The object of my invention is an instrument called muscle-beater, destined to promote peripheral circulation ofthe blood, and to serve for medico-gymnastic manipulation.

During my long professional career I have had many occasions to convince myself of the powerful sanative action obtained by mechanical manipulations in cases of slowness or deciency of peripheral innervation and capillary circulation. Besides the so-called duplicate motions (resisting motions) generally employed with advantage in establishments for medical gymnastics, the success of many an important cure has been principally owing to passive manipulations, especially to beating7 and chopping Having frequently, in the exercise of my gymnastical profession, obtained the best results in curing various disorders in the peripherical blood circulation-as, for instance, congestions in organs of the head, the chest, and the abdomen, propensity for apoplexy, in cases of paralysis, weakness, and stiness of limbs, &c.by mechanical excitation of the muscles through the process of beating and chopping, I was struck by the idea how desirable it would be to render this simple and natural remedy tit for practical domestic use without needing the aid of another person.

For the sake of composing a convenient im plement I tried to imitate the manipulating ngers of the gymnast, which led to the invention of my muscle-beater.

Construction of the muscle-beater: In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure l shows the front view of the muscle-beater. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 1 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3 4 in Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a vertical section on the line 5 6 in Fig. 2.

The muscle-beater principally consists in three elastic tubes or fingers about a finger thick, and connected with each other. Their length, as well as the thickness of material employed, can vary according to the different purposes the instrument is destined to serve. For instance, in cases ot' deficientA alimentation of the exterior periphery of the brain, and of the head in general, causing nervous headache, accompanied with an irritability often quite intolerable, it is always necessary to use thin-walled, short, and very soft musclebeaters, while for reviving the activity of bloodvessels in limbs of a vigorous muscular structure, a thick-walled, longer, and harder in strument is required. Therefore the'musclebeater should always be specially adapted to the different modes of its dietetical or medical use.

Various experiments have taught me that for answering all purposes it is advisable to have about nine sizes of muscle-beaters, differing in length, (I, II, 111,) and each length to be subdivided into three different types as to the thickness of walls.

The three connected elastic hollow fingers -or tubes a a a, forming the muscle-beater, are

made ot' vulcanized india-rubber, the specific weight of which must be adapted to the use for which the the instrument is destined-t'. e., the walls of the different muscle-beaters must be of more spongy or more solid structure, according to the service they are called upon to render.

The diameter of' the tubes varies likewise, according to the diierent uses.. Therefore the indefinite expression a finger thick is perfectly suitable in this case.

1n order to obtain a regular and springy swinging of the three connected parts of the musclebeater in the manipulating action, each tube is provided inside, with a attened cane or stick, b, of about two-thirds of its whole length, placed in such manner that a part of the tube at the upper end, opposite the handle, is left free. The sticks in thickwalled tubes are shorter; those in the thinwalled are longer. The sticks are gradually flattened toward their upper ends. Their diameter depends on the specific weight and the length of tube. At the lower end (the handle) the sticks are conveniently placed alongside of each other, and united with the india-rubber, so as to prevent their getting loose and entering the upper free part of the tubes.

ward the end of the manipulation.

For forming a handle, d, to themuscle-beater the three tubes and sticks can be tied together with hempen or other string, then wrapped in some stuff, and lastly covered with some net or tress Work, or with an indiarubber cap. The handle must have a certain rigidity, which may be easily .obtained by placing some convenient object inside. It is a matter of course that the handle can be made in different forms and manner, more or less costly and refined.

In order to give more consistence to the separate part-s of the muscle-beater, the three tubes are tied together by a string or band at c c c,

toward the I ower third of their length.

The canes or sticks b, serving to produce a regular springyvaction, can, .of course, be replaced by stays 4of spring-steel, hard rubber, whalebone, or some other elastic material. The tubesor fingers `a can also be of some othersuitable material-instead of vulcanized india-rubber, and their number may vary likewise.

Y 0f all such modifications, however, which ldo not alter the nature of my invention, I expect no practical benefit, preferring to construct the muscle-'beater in manner labove described, and as shown inthe drawings.

Directions for use .of the muscle-,beater The muscle beater must always answer in length, elasticity, and solidity to the different modes of'use to whichfit is destined.

Delicate persons mustemploy thethin-walled type, while individuals of a powerful muscular system should adopt athick -walled `musclebeater. To render the beating sufciently soft, elastic, and springy, it is to be performed by the action of the wrist, rather thanof the whole arm. Every lmuscle-befitting should be performed crescendo and decreseendo, t'..e.,it should be strongest in the middle .of the time during which it takes place, and applied more gently in the beginning and to- If, in the manipulation, a regular even touching of the body by the tubes of .the musclebeater is desired, it should not be performed too rapidly, and the measure of a moderate allegretto (t-4) time be kept. The limbs, (arms and legs,) especially the lower extremities, should undergo a more `vigorous beating, ,while the head, the chest, and the abdomen are to be manipulated more gently. Every musclebeating is to go on until an elevation of temperature is felt in the manipulated parts. It is always useful, in muscle-beating, to make pauses of one or two minutes, because only during these interruptions is it possible exactly to ascertain the degree of temperature in the part undergoing the manipulation. 'lhe time of manipulating any single part of the body must not exceed about ten minutes, including the pauses.

Whenever it is required, for some particuv lar purpose, to apply prolonged local beatings, itis advisable from time to time to manipulate the whole body all over.

It is very important that the action be not hindered by clothing. A shirt, pantaloons, or drawers, and stockings are the most suitable attire for .easily performing muscle-:beating in every direction.

In cases of` cold feet, for instance, musclebeating is to be performed as follows: The

person manipulating has totakeo the shoes,

keeping, however, stockings on, and-take a sitting-posture. Then the yleft leg is laid on the right kneein such manner that theleft sole may be easilymanipulated,b5r the right hand. For beating the right sole the muscle-beater musto f course, be held in ,the left @handand it wants but little ,practice to attain :sufficient address in'theleft `hand forperforming this'operation. Beatingof thetop `-partof thefootand the toes `is done best when the patient-places his foot on a chair, taking ycare to put something soft under the sole, which greatly diminisheszthe 4sensitifveness duringthe operation.

It would ylead metoo far lif I were to describe in detail all the dii'erentimodifcations of muscle-.beating that `may lbe ,applied in various cases, or its lmedico-gymnastical and dietetical virtues,-forits effect lcan beas wellagitating or `exciting as abductive or adductive, reductive or reproductive. For instance, in cases of nervous headache, the head itself is treated with gentle beating, while vin .caseof congestive headache the extremities have to undergo the manipulation.

I claim as my invention.-

l. A musclebeater consisting of hollow elastic tubes or fingers a, provided `with springy stays b inside, ykept together at Q, and endingin the handle d, substantially las and for `the ypurpose set forth.

2. A muscle-beater consisting `of hollow elastic tubes a, having interior elastic stays b, and a handle, d, as specified.

In testimony whereof l have signed my nametothis specification in the preseuceof two lsubscribing witnesses.

CHARLES KLEMM.

Witnesses:

J Aeon SGHAAFF, C. MENTS. 

